Enel Green Power at the service of smart grids in Europe

The European scenario, like that of individual member states, is increasingly characterised by various elements that combine the need of providing low carbon energy by developing renewable sources and the need to adjust the distribution grid to an evolving energy mix and a market whose customers are both producers and consumers.

The impending growth of the photovoltaic sector, which in Italy alone has already topped 11 GW of installed power, shows the urgent need for a balanced electricity system, capable of receiving and managing increasing amounts of “green” energy while favouring self-consumption through smart-home and smart-building systems.

Aware of this situation, industrial, scientific and public institutions have since long started to integrate ICT solutions with energy infrastructure in order to support and improve the entire cycle of energy generation, distribution and marketing, up to the final consumption of electricity.

The latter is achieved by means of smart grids, which ensure reliable supplies of electricity and guarantee a permanent supply and demand balance . This is the purpose of the Finseny consortium that includes EGP and other major European energy and ICT players, as well as universities in Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Poland, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland.

The consortium, which examines the different scenarios pertaining to smart grids, is part of the Future Internet Public Private Partnership (FI-PPP), co-funded by the European Commission. The studies carried out by the consortium will identify ICT requirements for smart grids, in order to plan a suitable architecture and help develop industrial-level standards to ensure the widespread application of solutions for smart grids in Europe and elsewhere.

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